Tucker Dixon Welcomed as New Wheeler BOE Member

In its regular monthly meeting on May 8, the Wheeler County Board of Education welcomed a new board member, received a request for space to accommodate a summer program for children, heard a plan for a new math curriculum, and approved the teacher pay scale for the 2024 school year.

Wheeler County native Tucker Dixon attended his first meeting as a new Board member on May 8. He was appointed by the Board to fill the post of the late Wayne Bridges, whose term expires on December 31, 2024 .

Dixon, who has three children enrolled in the Wheeler County School system, was selected by the Board from several local residents who applied for the position. “It’s all about the kids. I thought it was the right thing to do,” Dixon said of his desire to serve on the Board. A 1996 graduate of Wheeler County High School, Dixon is employed by Beasley Timber Company. He is the son of Gene and Martha Dixon of Glenwood. Dixon’s father also works in the timber industry and his mother is a retired teacher.

Dixon and his wife, Meredith, have three children: Carter, who attends Pre-kindergarten classes; Ava Kate, a 7th grader; and Drew, an 11th grade student.

Camp Grow Request

Santina Fryer, cofounder and executive director of Gents and Glam Community, Family, and Youth Services, Inc., told Board members about her program which focuses on youth in rural areas with a purpose of providing opportunities for success. Fryer, a resident of Baxley, said the grant-funded program, which was started in 2013, offers youth training in life skills, mentoring, career exploration, postsecondary opportunities for success, educational travel experiences and college tours. Among programs sponsored by the endeavor are: “Take Flight” (pilot instruction and certification); “Deep Dive” (scuba training and certification); and educational travel to sites including Paris, London, and New York City. This year, a trip to Costa Rica is planned.

Camp Grow, an outgrowth of the program, is conducted in Appling, Bacon and Jeff Davis counties, as well as in the towns of Alamo and Lumber City. The summer program, which is funded by a Building Out of School Time Grant from the Georgia After School Network and the Georgia Board of Education, served 120 children in South Georgia last year. The camp’s purpose is providing an environment conducive to learning and support, and field trips have taken program participants to places like the Okefenokee Swamp Park and the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island, Fryer said.

Last summer the Camp served about 30 children per day in Alamo. Fryer, who said she would like to see enrollment doubled in Alamo, asked the Board to consider allocating space at the old elementary school in Alamo. The school building was vacated when the elementary classes were merged into the new Wheeler County School.

Fryer told the Board that the Camp is held weekdays from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. for children aged 5 to 13. The Camp has five fulltime staffers.

Superintendent Suzanne Couey noted that the old elementary school gym, which has not only an abundance of space, but adjoining classrooms and restroom facilities, might be an ideal location for the Camp. The Board approved the request. New Math Curriculum

Ericka Clark, Assistant Superintendent and Director of Curriculum, Technology, and Federal Programs, advised the Board of new, state-mandated math standards that will debut in 2024, and which will require a change from the system’s current READY and I-READY curriculum. Clark said the system has no choice but to upgrade because of state requirements, but the requirement will afford new opportunities. She said a program of instruction called “Into Math” that is “100% aligned with the Georgia standards,” will replace the current curriculum that has been in use for several years.

Clark said the new math curriculum encourages multiple methods for problem solving and provides a straight path from kindergarten to 12th grade for math instruction. The program includes a textbook for high school students, which the previous curriculum did not, as well as an online component. Clark said the new curriculum offers an easier transition for teachers and noted that she has received enthusiastic comments from teachers who previewed the new program.

The Board was not obligated to approve the new curriculum since the information was provided as an advisement, but unanimously endorsed the change.

Teacher Pay Raises

Superintendent Couey advised the Board that action was needed in response to recent legislation that provides pay raises for local teachers for the 2024 school term. The $2,000 salary increases are part of the $32.4 billion FY 24 state budget that allocates pay raises for educators, law enforcement, university system employees, and other state workers. The Board approved an increase of $2,000 for all certified staff and a 5.1% increase for all other employees.

Personnel Matters

Following an executive session, the Board unanimously voted to renew the contract of Superintendent Couey, citing her exemplary performance. She has served as Superintendent since 2017.

Also, the Board voted to hire the following new personnel: William Blake Jones as high school history teacher; Samantha Stanley-Bateson as middle school English/ language arts teacher; Sharon Hamilton, Hunter Horne, Jazmine Peeples, Kimberley Pope, and Juanita Williams as substitute food service and custodial staff. The Board also accepted the resignation of Chris Carr, head baseball coach and high school math teacher. Coach Dennis Logue will assume the position of head baseball coach.

WELCOME — Wheeler County Board of Education Chair Michael Morrison welcomes new Board member Tucker Dixon, who assumed the unexpired term of the late Wayne Bridges. Dixon attended his first meeting as a Board member at the May 8 regular Board session.Photo by Deborah Clark